Pouring device

ABSTRACT

A pouring device, e.g. a funnel ( 1 ) or a container with a pouring opening or with a sieve-like cover having a plurality of pouring openings is equipped with a light source ( 7 ) and a gravity actuated switch ( 6 ) arranged for activating the light source ( 7 ). The gravity actuated switch ( 6 ) is in its off-position when the device is in a non-pouring or upright position in which pouring is not possible. The switch ( 6 ) is brought into its on-position, i.e. the light source ( 7 ) is turned on, when the device is brought from its non-pouring position into its pouring position by being turned up-side down or by being inclined. The light emitted by the light source ( 7 ) is preferably coupled into a jet of liquid or granular material exiting the pouring device on pouring thus effectively facilitating pouring.

The invention is in the field of equipment for every-day life andconcerns a pouring device according to the preamble of the independentclaim. The device serves for pouring a flowable, i.e. liquid or granularmedium. The pouring device is in particular a funnel or a container witha pouring opening or a sieve-like cover comprising a plurality ofpouring openings, wherein both the funnel and the container are usuallykept in an upright or non-pouring position in which pouring is notpossible and, for pouring, are brought into a pouring position by beingturned upside down or at least inclined relative to the non-pouringposition.

For facilitating pouring, the publications U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,308 andU.S. Pat. No. 2,577,857 propose to equip a funnel or an oil canrespectively with a light source. The light shines from one side of thespout in the direction of the poured liquid and is said to serve as apositioning aid, i.e. it is supposed to facilitate the finding of anopening into which the spout of the funnel is to be introduced forpouring or a location to which the oil is to be applied. In both cases,the light source is activated manually with a corresponding switch.

It is the object of the invention to create a pouring device equippedwith a light source. The pouring device is to facilitate pouring evenbetter than the pouring devices of the state of the art and is tohandled more easily. Furthermore, the pouring device according to theinvention is to make it possible to use the light emitted by the lightsource in a more effective manner for the pouring process itself.

This object is achieved by the pouring device as defined in the claims.

The pouring device according to the invention comprises a light sourceand a gravity actuated switch for activating the light source. Thisswitch is designed and arranged in the pouring device such that thelight is on when the pouring device is in a pouring position and is offwhen the device is in a non-pouring position, i.e. switching is effectedby changing the orientation of the pouring device relative to gravity,which is usually the case at least at the start of pouring. The gravityactuated switch comprises e.g. a switch cavity which is fixedly mountedon the pouring device. Within the switch cavity, a switching element isarranged to be moveable by gravity such that depending on theorientation of the switch cavity relative to gravity the switchingelement has different positions in which it either closes an electriccircuit (light source is on) or not (light source is off).

The lighting equipment of the pouring device according to the inventionis preferably not designed for lighting the surrounding of the pouringopening or location in which the pouring opening is to be positioned butit is designed for lighting the jet of liquid or of granular materialwhich is to be poured with the aid of the device, i.e. for coupling thelight of the light source into this jet. The light source is thereforemounted on the device such that the light is emitted within the jet ofliquid or granular material being poured or the light emitted by thelight source is suitably guided into this jet, advantageously throughthe material of the pouring device. Advantageously, the light is coupledinto the jet such that as little light as possible is dispersed to thesurroundings. The result of such arrangement of the light source is thefact that the pouring process is light-assisted very effectively withvery little electric energy.

A few exemplary embodiments of the pouring device according to theinvention are described in connection with the following Figs., wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the pouring deviceaccording to the invention which device is a funnel;

FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically a first embodiment of a gravity actuatedelectric switch applicable for a device according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a lighting module applicable for a device according to theinvention;

FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the pouring deviceaccording to the invention, which device is a container with asieve-like cover comprising a plurality of pouring openings;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show two further embodiments of gravity actuated switchesapplicable in pouring devices according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows in section a funnel 1 to be used for pouring a liquid,preferably a light transparent liquid. The funnel is equipped accordingto the invention, i.e. it comprises a light source and a gravityactuated switch for activating the light source. The funnel has arelatively wide opening 2 on its one side and a narrower pouring opening3 on its other side. It further comprises a lateral handle 4. When thefunnel is positioned for pouring (pouring position as shown in FIG. 1)the wide opening is facing upwards and the narrow opening is facingdownwards. The funnel 1, when put aside, is advantageously turned (wideopening 2 facing downwards, pouring opening 3 facing upwards;non-pouring position) in which position it is able to stand in a stablemanner on a planar surface.

The funnel 1 comprises, arranged e.g. within the handle 4, a lightingmeans 5, which comprises a gravity actuated switch 6, a light source 7(advantageously a light emitting diode) and a battery 8 (or plug meansfor connection to an external source of electric power).

For guiding the light emitted by the light source 7 into the jet to bepoured from the funnel, a light guiding means is provided. This lightguiding means is advantageously the material of which the relevanthandle part 4.1 and the pouring channel 10 of the funnel are made,wherein this material is transparent (illustrated in FIG. 1 withouthatching) and has advantageously an optical density which is in therange of the optical density of the liquid to be poured with the aid ofthe funnel 1. Because of a considerable difference in optical densitybetween such material and surrounding air, most light beams hitting thesurface of the material from within are reflected back into the material(total reflection) such that the light is caught within the material.

When, on pouring, the pouring channel 10 is filled with liquid the lightcoupled into the transparent material of the channel wall is able topass from this wall into the jet of liquid because the difference inoptical density across the inner channel surface is much smaller thanfor the empty channel. Therefore, light enters the liquid jet which onexiting the pouring channel acts again as a light guiding means guidingthe light into liquid further down and in particular lighting a liquidsurface which, because of the pouring, is rising and should be keptunder control by the person who is pouring.

It may be advantageous to coat the outside surface of the handle part4.1 serving as a light guiding means and of the pouring channel 10 witha reflective layer for restricting the light to an even higher degree towithin the transparent material.

Of course it is possible for the whole funnel 1 to consist of thetransparent material and to be coated at least on its outer surface andon the handle with a reflective layer. It is of course possible also toprovide a separate light guiding means, e.g. a strand of lightconducting fibers and to arrange one strand end near the light sourceand the other strand end within the pouring channel 10 or in the pouringopening 3 of the funnel 1.

The funnel is preferably made of an inert polymer material which isresistant against chemical attack, e.g. of polyethylene orpolypropylene, which are both suitable materials for light guidingmeans.

FIG. 2 shows in a very diagrammatic way an electric circuit 11 with apower source 12, a light source 7 und a gravity actuated switch 6. Theswitch is shown in two positions A and B.

A switch cavity 6.1, in the present embodiment having the form of aswitch channel, constitutes the main part of the switch 6 and isarranged on an object such that a predetermined change of the objectorientation changes the orientation of the channel length relative togravity. At one end of the switch channel 6.1, one of the electric leads11.1 connecting the power source 12 with the light source 7 isinterrupted, the corresponding two lead ends 11.3 and 11.4 projectinginto the switch cavity 6.1. Caught within the switch cavity 6.1 is aswitching element 6.2, e.g. a sphere of an electrically conductingmaterial. In the switch position A, the switch 6 is in an off-position(switching element 6.2 in channel position opposite the projecting leadends 11.3 and 11.4). In the position B, the switch 6 is in anon-position (switching element 6.2 in the channel position of the leadends 11.3 and 11.4 which are both in contact with the switching element6.2 and therefore are connected to each other).

The switch 6 as shown in FIG. 2 is in an on-position, as long as thechannel end comprising the lead ends 11.3 and 11.4 is lower than theopposite channel end. It is in an off-position as long as the channelend comprising the lead ends is higher than the opposite end. This meansthat if position A represents the upright or non-pouring position of adevice according to the state of the art, the device needs to beinclined by at least 90° for the light to be switched on. For the funnelas shown in FIG. 1, it means that if position B represents the pouringposition (light is on) the funnel needs to be positioned upside downwhen not pouring for the light to switch off. If the funnel is laid onits side, the light would not switch off.

Further embodiments of gravity activated switches having differentswitching characteristics are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 3 shows a lighting module 20 based on the principle of a gravityactuated switch 6 as shown in FIG. 2. The module 20 can e.g. befabricated in a simple and little expensive way by injection molding.Such module can be fabricated to be very small and therefore verysuitable for a device according to the invention. The module isadvantageously mounted on the device according to the invention in anexchangeable manner. The module 20 comprises a battery compartment 8with a snapped-on cover such that a battery positioned in thecompartment can be exchanged. The module further comprises a switchcavity 6.1 with a switching element 6.2 and a light source 7, whereinthese elements are connected by suitable electric leads (wide blacklines) designated with 11.

The module 20 may further comprise fixing means for the module to befixed to a funnel or container. The fixing means is e.g. a thread 21 orsnap element.

FIG. 4 shows, again in section, a further exemplary embodiment of thepouring device according to the invention. This embodiment is acontainer 30 (only neck portion shown) with a sieve-like cover 31equipped with a plurality of pouring openings 3 and being made of amaterial which is transparent for light. The device serves e.g. forpouring salt or another granular or liquid material. The cover 31 isequipped with a lighting module 20 e.g. as shown in FIG. 3, the module20 being snapped on a central inside protrusion 32 of the cover 31 suchthat the light source 7 faces the protrusion 32 and that light emittedby the light source is coupled into the cover material from which itenters the material poured through the pouring openings 3.

As long as the container 30 stands upright as shown in FIG. 4 (uprightor non-pouring position), pouring is not possible. For pouring, thecontainer 30 needs to be turned upside down or at least inclined bywhich action the switch 6 is actuated and the light source 7 is turnedon.

FIG. 5 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a gravity actuated switch6 which is applicable in a pouring device according to the invention.This switch comprises again a switch cavity 6.1 containing a freelymovable, e.g. spherical switching element 6.2 made of an electricallyconducting material. The switch cavity is formed by two opposite bowls6.3 and 6.4 of an electrically conducting material and being separatedfrom each other by a gap 6.5 or a band of an electrical insulator. Thetwo bowls 6.3 and 6.4 form first and second lead ends of an interruptedelectrical lead connecting power source and light source.

Depending on the position of switch 6 relative to gravity, the switchingelement 6.2 which always assumes in the switch cavity 6.1 the lowestpossible position is positioned either on the gap 6.5 thus connectingthe two bowls (light on) or within one bowl, i.e. not on the gap 6.5(light off).

In FIG. 5 the gravity actuated switch is shown in three positions A, Band C, wherein in position A is an on-position and positions B and C areoff-positions. If the switch is mounted on the pouring device such thatposition C corresponds to the upright or non-pouring position this meansthat the device needs to be inclined by 90° for the light to be switchedon. At an inclination of less than 90° (position B) or more than 90°relative to the non-pouring position the light will be switched offagain.

FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a gravity actuated switch 6 whichis applicable in a pouring device according to the invention. The switch6 again comprises a switch cavity 6.1 and a switching element 6.2. Theswitch cavity 6.5 comprises a bowl 6.3 of an electrically conductivematerial and constituting a first lead end of the interrupted electriclead connecting power source and light source. The switching element 6.2consists of an electrically conducting material and constitutes itselfthe second lead end by being fastened to this second lead end 11.4 whichprotrudes from a cavity wall opposite the bowl 6.3 and is enough longfor the switching element 6.2 to be located within the bowl 6.3. Thelead end 11.4 is enough bendable for being able to be bent by the weightof the switching element, when this weight acts in a direction having acomponent perpendicular to the lead end.

FIG. 6 again shows the switch 6 in three positions A, B and C, wherein Aand B are on-positions and C is an off-position. If position Crepresents the upright or non-pouring position of a pouring deviceaccording to the invention, this means that depending on the bendabilityof the second lead end, the device needs to be inclined by a smaller orlarger angle for the light to be switched on. Therefore the switch 6 asshown in FIG. 6 is particularly suitable for the device according to theinvention being a jug or bottle, i.e. having only one non-pouringposition (upright position) and a plurality of pouring positionsdepending on how much liquid they contain.

1. Pouring device for pouring liquid or granular material, the devicecomprising at least one pouring opening (3) and the device having atleast one non-pouring or upright position which is not suitable forpouring and at least one pouring position which is, relative to thenon-pouring position, reversed or inclined, the device comprising alight source (7) and a gravity actuated switch (6) for activating thelight source (7), the switch (6) being mounted such that it is in anoff-position when the device is one of its non-pouring positions and itis in an on-position when the device is in one of its pouring positions.2. Pouring device according to claim 1 and being a funnel (1), acontainer with a sieve-like cover, a bottle or a jug.
 3. Pouring deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the light source (7) or one end of a lightguiding means arranged for guiding the light of the light source (7) isarranged adjacent or within a jet of liquid or granular material emittedfrom the pouring device on pouring.
 4. Pouring device according to oneof claim 3, wherein the device consists at least in the area of the atleast one pouring opening of a light transparent material able tofunction as the light guiding means and the light source is arranged forthe emitted light to be coupled into the transparent material. 5.Pouring device according to claim 4, being a funnel (1) and furthercomprising a handle (4) and a pouring channel (10), wherein the lightsource (7) is arranged in the handle (4) and a handle part (4.1)arranged between the light source (7) and the pouring channel (10) andthe pouring channel (10) are made of the transparent material. 6.Pouring device according to claim 1 and being a container with asieve-like cover (31), wherein the cover is made of a light transparentmaterial and the light source (7) is arranged on a protrusion (32) onthe inside of the cover (31).
 7. Pouring device according to claim 1,wherein the gravity actuated switch (6) comprises a switch cavity (6.1)and a switching element (6.2) arranged to be moveable by gravity withinthe switch cavity (6.1).
 8. Pouring device according to claim 7, whereinthe switching element comprises an electrically conducting material andwherein the switch cavity comprises first and second lead ends of aninterrupted electric lead connecting the light source with a powersource.
 9. Pouring device according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein thelight source (7) is part of a lighting module (20), which furthercomprises a battery compartment (8) and the gravity actuated switch (6)and wherein the light module is detachably fixed to the pouring device.